


Clevermind

by Miutinichisheno



Category: Dark Avengers (Comic), Marvel (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, In which Logan decides to run a child day care, In which howletts need to talk about feelings more, M/M, Multi, in which the kids are more effective than the adults, non-binary Raze, of course absolutely nothing could go wrong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:11:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3716422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miutinichisheno/pseuds/Miutinichisheno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After complications with his marriage to Itsu and her pregnancy, Logan is left with a baby born too early and biological psychopathy. Struggling he eventually decides to make something of his experience and offers to help other parents with mutant children. The pack grows and all seems right in Logan's world, until a new arrival to the bublets throws everything off kilter and so begins the latest challenge in his path. An unexpected child and the woman who shook up his marriage with a proposal.<br/>Meanwhile, his children have their own ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Changeling child

“Akihiro. Akihiro? Aki, look at me when I'm talking to you.”  
The child didn't seem to pay his father any heed. His brows were dipped, head resting on his palm and pushing his breakfast around the plate. It was eight thirty am, and already breakfast had turned into full-on psychological warfare. Logan growled under his breath as he turned his back to carry on making his own breakfast and everyone's lunches. The house would be over-run with kids over the course of the next hour and here he was still trying to work out his own kid. Well, it wasn't strictly true, he knew exactly why Akihiro was doing it. He was punishing him for dropping a bombshell on him the night before. Wasn't exactly easy on him to get the news either, but he had to put his kids first, even if one of them didn't live with them.  
“Laura, you dressed yet?” He switched the extractor fan off, scooping the bacon onto his plate. Aki set his fork down and continued staring out the window. “I can't stop the classes for you if you get hungry, you either eat now or yer waitin' till one.”  
“I'm not hungry,” Aki replied coldly.  
“No, but you will be. At least have _something_ , just to tide you over.” Logan sighed, taking his seat at the table. He nudged Aki's shin with his toe, the boy wrinkled his nose and shot him an annoyed glance. “Look I know you ain't happy, it's gonna be hard on all of us to adjust. But he's your brother, like Laura's your sister an she got dropped on us like this too. You love her, right? Jus' give the boy a chance.”  
Akihiro didn't say anything, the conversation interrupted by Laura entering the room and taking her seat, digging into her cereal. She glanced between them, completely aware of the thick atmosphere in the room. Breakfast had a tendency of being like this. It wasn't that she was scared of what could happen, she knew her father had the restraint necessary to deal with Aki. But sometimes she wondered how long either of them could hold out. Akihiro then picked up his fork and started eating his breakfast, the battle of the morning was over. Laura let go of her held breath quietly and Logan relaxed somewhat, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

 

 

One by one the parents dropped their kids off. What Logan ran was a small daycare come school for troubled children, humans and mutants were all welcome. Initially, there was trouble between him and his neighbours in the quiet little cul de sac. All of it was from the current political scramble of 'how do deal with the mutant threat' that each senator seemed to keep banging on about. The neighbours were a blend of mutants and humans, that much was known, but what had the humans on edge was the idea of new mutant families coming into their little patch of heaven. It was the typical suburban housewife gossip, how the mutant family were going to cause trouble and teach the mutants to do bad things. Logan had gotten his approval for the school, so what they thought shouldn't have bothered him, most of the kids that came to his classes he knew their parents one way or another, be it by chance or through the grapevine. Those that brought their kids were thankful, even if there were points that he wished he could do more for them. One step at a time.  
Raven had given him the details, told him all about their kid. He wasn't much younger than Aki, a bit older than Laura. What he couldn't believe was how he didn't know about 'Raze' as she called him for so long. Still, wasn't like he could be surprised at this point, he didn't know about Laura until she got dropped in his lap. How many others of his were going to come crawling out of the woodwork? It wasn't his only reservation, he knew what the woman was like, she was manipulative but capable of being maternal, he only needed to look at Anna-Marie to see that, but that wasn't always in the healthiest way. Raven had warned him, kid had his temper brewing, combined with how spiteful she could be, that was a deadly concoction. She'd be dropping him off at half nine and better believe she'd be like clockwork, showing up and making an impression. That'd be fun to smooth out with the neighbours.

 

 

The other staff members showed up not long before quarter past, Ro bringing that scruff ball, Remy in tow. Still it was better than him using his skateboard, kid still thought he was untouchable and he'd been just waiting to hear about how he'd been barrelled over by a truck on the way. Or he was just worrying too much.  
“ You're tense Logan.” Ororo's hand brushed up Logan's arm. “It'll be alright, this is what we do, whatever she's done to raise him. Or we could be pleasantly surprised.”  
“Boy's a shapeshifter, like her. Got my temper.”  
“She was trying to shake you. It's no secret that you worry.”  
Logan grumbled, setting his coffee down as he headed to his classroom. He didn't teach his own kids that often, figured that they had to deal with him enough after the school day was done. Ro seemed to do a good job with them though. Most of the faculty knew about their new student, except the elf. Something felt off about letting him know that he had a much younger brother, though given Raven and his own track record he doubted that Kurt would have been surprised if he was older, but for a child so young. He hadn't the heart to tell him that when things got bad with Itsu he'd had a moment of weakness and gone to Raven. He beat himself up enough about it, even if Kurt was ever the forgiving and passive, he just knew the look he'd give him. He could smell people's emotions and even without it, he knew Kurt's tell, his tail had a tendency of wrapping around something. Trying to root himself or something maybe?  
His heart sank as he heard the doorbell go. Really, he'd intended to get the door, but Akihiro seemed to have gotten there first.  
The boy had opened the door, eyes narrowed and squinted up at Raven in her crisp white two piece suit. She hadn't bothered to hide her blue skin and flame red hair, she was proud of her mutant heritage and by the looks of the small ginger fluff ball with a paling knuckle grip on her skirt, it had had an influence on him.  
Akihiro glanced at the boy, sizing him up like he was about to dice him. He was asserting his dominance and authority. He was the big brother, he was there first, he'd be the one in charge.  
“Raven.” Logan muttered, gently encouraging Aki away from the door. He crouched down so he could get a good look at the boy. Off the bat he picked up on something slightly off. Hiding amongst how scared the kid was, perhaps boy wasn't the correct term.. or girl... genetics really were a roulette with Raven. “Hey, Raze. M' glad to finally meet you.”  
The child blinked, trying to puff up nem chest to appear more confident.  
“Y'don't have to worry about Aki, he's nervous around new people, he'll warm up.” Logan rose to his feet, meeting Raven's glance. “Classes end at four, they've got a nap just after lunch at two if they want it. If you wanna leave Raze here for daycare then I can keep him- uh, nem? Here till eight..”  
“So you realised.”  
“The nose knows, right?”  
“It won't cause a problem.” It wasn't an assurance on her part it was a warning.“No,  
“No, _course_ not. If anyone doesn't get it then we'll be as open as Raze is comfortable with about it. It'll all be on nir's terms.” His skin crawled, no wonder Aki had been staring so intently at Raze.  
The child yanked on Mystique's suit skirt again, ne clearly didn't feel completely comfortable being here yet. Baby steps, they could manage it.  
“I'll be by to pick Raze up after dinner. I've given nem a list to keep hold of things you may need to know, and a contact number if ne wants to call me. Ne will be allowed to whenever ne wants, is this acceptable?”  
There was that warning tone again, it felt more like a business contract above all else. She seemed perfectly capable to keep an eye on Raze, so why she was bringing nem here was starting to be even more of a mystery.  
“It's fine, Raven, I promise.” Logan nodded, offering his hand to Raze. “You ready t'come meet everyone, Jellybean?”  
Aki's nose wrinkled again and slinked off back into the house, sure he had Aki, but Logan never called him anything like that. He didn't even with Laura, clearly Logan was trying to make a good impression on this kid. He'd see how long that'd last.  
Raze watched as Akihiro slipped off to go sit with the other kids and glanced back at Logan's much larger hand. Then back up to nir mother, Raven nodded and Raze took his hand, with a small shy smile.

 

 

“Now there lil homme, what's wit' that face?”  
Akihiro grumbled something incoherent in response to Remy's laid back tones and flopped into his beanbag. He was doing that thing where he started so intently into a patch in the floor that Remy was worried he'd bore a hole in it. No doubt Raze's arrival had rocked the boat some.  
“Nothing. I'm fine.”  
“'not sure I believe you.” The cajun shuffled over next to Aki, lightly nudging him with his shoulder. “Why don'tcha tell me? Promise I won' tell the old man.”  
“I don't like Raze. I don't like Mystique. They smelt funny.”  
“M' sure they bathe-”  
“Not that kind of smelt funny. She's not telling him something. Raze doesn't make sense.”  
“Mystique is always not tellin' someone somethin'. Story of her.” Aki hummed lowly, finally breaking his gaze on the floor. His eyes were always so piercing when he stared intently. Though Remy's probably looked interesting too. “As for Raze.. well your dad's gonna be talking to you an everyone else about that later.”  
“Raze doesn't smell like a boy or a girl.. no that's wrong..” he winced, thinking carefully about his words. “He smells like both.”  
“It's possible that Raze is, he's a shapeshifter right?”  
“I don't think he looks like that either. He looked too uncomfortable.”  
“He's gotta be just as nervous as you are.”  
“Why does everyone tell me I'm nervous?” Aki growled, hunching somewhat. “Maybe I just don't like him.”  
“There's gotta be a reason right? You're a logical lil kid, but you ain't so good wit your feelings. But that's okay, s'just yer way.” Akihiro's shoulder's slumped a little, unfurling. “But give the kid a chance, even if not for yer dad, for Raze. He's been flung in at the deep end like you too.”

 

“I'm Laura.”  
The blue child gave her a once over, still glued to Logan's side.  
“Y'wanna say hello Jellybean?”  
So far Raze hadn't said anything to anyone, keeping nir mouth shut and communicating through a series of nods, shakes and hiding. For Mystique's offspring ne was strangely withdrawn. But Chuck had said all those years ago that she was a very reclusive child too.  
“Raze.” The sound took people back, Laura's eyes widened a little and Logan glanced down at nem. Two tones. One lower pitched than the other, perfect synchronicity. Ne really was all about duality.  
“There's your voice, little one.” Ororo piped in. “We were starting to wonder if we had a mute on our hands.”  
“Mama said it might frighten people, but she told me it wouldn't matter.”  
“It's your voice and it's unique. We celebrate everyone's talents here, you should embrace it. If it makes you more comfortable to not talk we can work around it.” Logan nodded at Raze, the child's grip increased. ne was clingy, nervous. Given Mystique's associates, for nem to be uncomfortable in nir own skin something must have happened. There'd be time for that later.  
“Guten morgen.” Looks like Kurt had arrived., really Logan wanted to tell Kurt about Raze before he saw him, guess there wasn't any helping that now.  
“Kurt, uh.. meet my nesser and your.. sibling..” Logan answered slowly, taking a step aside to reveal Raze.  
The child almost instantaneously tried to hide behind Logan's leg again. Kurt looked the child over for a moment, frozen at the bombshell just dropped into his lap. He offered a warm smile, the poor child looked scared enough as it was, even if there were a great deal of questions to be asked, now wasn't the time.  
“You're the spitting image of both of them.” Kurt set his bag down on the kitchen counter and crouched in front of Raze, offering him a pet to the hair. Gentle and affectionate, as always. Raze had other ideas as he reached up and grabbed one of Kurt's hands, examining them for a minute. ne smiled and mimicked the shape of Kurt's hands with five fingers. The digits then melded together to actually mimic the shape, and proudly grinned, baring nir tiny sharp teeth at him. Kurt laughed, slotting their fingers together and lightly squeezing. “That's a clever little trick, mein liebling.”  
“You're German?”  
“I was raised in Germany, but technically I'm not.” Raze seemed to just accept it for now, nodding and giving Kurt's hand another squeeze before letting go. “You should go with Laura and Ms. Munroe, lessons will be starting soon.”  
Raze nodded enthusiastically and took a firm grip on Laura and Ro's hands, letting them take nem away. Waiting for them to be out of earshot, Logan glanced at Kurt, worrying his bottom lip.“Y'not mad?”  
“Y'not mad?”  
“Why would I be?”  
The Wolverine shifted and rubbed the back of his head, awkwardly to say the least. There never seemed to be an easy way to do anything these days. Worst of it was Kurt knew that as well as he did, and being the saint he was he'd take it all on the chin. Shoulder everything that he could for him, and all the while with that damned smile like it was nothing. He wished he had that level of patience, he wished he could be that noble, that good of a person. But even through the smile he was presented with, Logan could tell Kurt was concerned.  
“C'mon, I had a kid with your mom I didn't know about nearly a decade ago. How does that not make this awkward.?”  
“I wasn't going to be the one to say it, Logan.” Kurt folded his arms, leaning back on a bar stool. The name drop made him wince, gripping the edge of the table.  
“..This don't change what you mean t'me, elf.”  
“I know. “ He shrugged, the smile had faded, now was the time for serious talk. “I love you too, but perhaps we should save this conversation for later when the children are back home and we can open some drinks and commandeer Aki's treehouse.”  
“That he never fuckin' uses.”  
“But the thought counts more, and if he wants to stay indoors more then let him. You just have to let Laura and Aki know you're still there for them too.”  
Logan hummed, stepping away from the table and shifting nearer to Kurt. “So what do you think about him?”  
“Given our mother.. you may be playing the long game. His problems might not manifest immediately.” Kurt pulled out another stool for Logan, sitting on his own and wrapping his toes around the bar. “And to suddenly drop him on you.. she may be dealing with people she doesn't trust him-”  
“Nem.”  
“Nem, to be around.”  
“Y'got a point. She may be crooked but she ain't about to use a kid as a mole... would she?”  
“We'll see. But for now, let's give the poor child the benefit of the doubt, hmm? ne..?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Ne's nervous, I don't need to have your nose to know that. So ne hasn't come into.. Nem..?”  
“Nir”  
“Into nir own.”  
“I hope you're right elf, really do.”  
Kurt offered him that comforting smile and rubbed Logan's back. It tingled where he touched, and it felt good, soothing. If he didn't have to face a room full of kids in a minute he might have let him carry on, but he knew his self-control wasn't that good.

 

 

The lessons were a casual setting, sofas, beanbags and hard backed work books and or lap trays. It was more personal, Logan had always claimed, combined with due to the lack of anywhere else that he could host it. Last thing he'd do was rent out a hall in town.  
Initially it'd started with sending Akihiro to the local primary school and the boy causing trouble because of his inherent take no shit attitude. He was cold and damaged in a way that many of the other kids, let alone teachers didn't understand. Eventually Logan got sick of constantly being called in to talk to a teacher about how Akihiro was on report once more. When Laura was dropped on his doorstep, he took it as a sign. He withdrew both of the kids from school and set out to home school the both of them. Initially working out the regime was proving to be difficult. He was still playing it too militaristic, scared of messing it up. After six months word got out about what Logan was doing amongst the mutant community in town and soon parents were asking if he could teach their kids. His only condition, he gathered people to help out. Support grew gradually, he couldn't pay the faculty very well and he didn't want to charge the parents too much knowing that they were probably having the same troubles he was. After the second or third year, a few parents in the area he knew asked if he could take on their kids too, even if they weren't mutants. Logan was wary at first, but was persuaded that it would do the kids good, break down barriers early in life before society could teach these kids mutants were evil. Starting to realise that he was part of a pioneering movement, more schools similar to his started to pop up and every other month they'd gather and exchange tips and teaching plans. How it got to be like this he didn't quite understand, but it was maybe part of his mutation to build a pack. These kids became as much his family as his own flesh and blood, even the staff.  
Even if things got trying.

 

The first he'd heard of the fight was Remy rushing into the dining room to interrupt the art lesson he was hosting to tell him that a fight had erupted he needed to help with. Logan's face blanched, it'd been months since the last scrap had happened, and of course it had to be his son that started it. A new quiet kid he'd taken on as a good will gesture to a woman down the street, get him out of his toxic household for as long as possible a week. Leonard was the kid's name, boy had a wicked aim. Shame he'd picked up racial slurs from his drunk pops. Aki had made short work of him, and they had a strained understanding these days. So when he saw Akihiro constricted by Raze taking on a serpentine appearance, and the boy screaming to be let go, something twinged within him. _Now y'know what it feels like t'be outmatched kiddo_. It was cruel, but he wasn't revelling in his son's defeat, boy had to learn sometime that he couldn't always be top dog.  
“Raze!” Logan took a step to go forward.  
“Careful, Raze has been keeping us away.” Ro warned, clutching at a light cut on her forearm.  
Logan grimaced and pushed on forward, crossing his arms in front of his face as he blocked the lashing tendrils Raze had grown from nir back.  
“Raze, c'mon enough's enough. Ya taught him his lesson.” He tried to keep the growl at bay, but something about Akihiro's screaming and Raze's temperament felt off. He was getting nervous himself, feeling a whole myriad of emotions that weren't his. Shit, was Aki psychic now _too_? Was Itsu a psychic or was it in her bloodline? “Aki, whatever you're doin', you're makin' it worse. Both of y'need to stop this right now or you're not gonna be allowed to keep coming here.”  
Akihiro seemed to fall silent, but the fat tears rolling down his cheeks didn't seem to stop, eyes wide at the thought. Damned if he did and damned if he didn't. Raze however took the hint better, shifting out of the monstrous appearance ne'd created for nemself, but ne looked different to nirs appearance earlier. Ne was skinnier, more fragile and covered in freckles. Ne's large yellow eyes looked up at Logan and back to Akihiro with sheer terror. Akihiro got to his feet, fists clenched, reddened eyes and red cheeks. In that moment Logan knew that Raze had made an enemy of him, his pride beaten and downtrodden.  
“Raze, Akihiro, my office, now.” Logan shooed them towards the door, beckoning for Remy to help him out. Remy picked up Aki with a grunt as the boy clung tightly to him. “M'sorry for the disruption, Ro, you able to carry on?”  
“Yes, I'm fine.” She nodded slowly. “Is everyone else alright?”  
The children were a mixture of tearful, silent and huddled around Ororo, but they nodded in turn.  
“Have a quick break okay? Snacks, juice whatever you all need.” Logan tried to offer them a comforting smile, but he didn't quite have Kurt's facial muscle capabilities.  
This was going to be a long day.

 

The two children sat quietly, fixated with a blend of guilt and regret. It was probably more about getting caught with Akihiro. Raze, Logan hadn't managed to gauge just yet. He could only dread how this would go. Raze would call nirs mother, Raven would give him a hard time about it and probably lord it over him for as long as she could milk it. Another headache he could do without.  
“I don't want any finger pointin' you two. But this can't carry on. So if ya got anything to say to each other, get it outta your system now. Let's put this t'bed.” Be diplomatic. Be fair. Don't start yelling at either of them.

Both stayed quiet, Aki was clearly sulking, his pride thoroughly scathed after the fight. Raze however looked more confused than anything, perhaps Raven hadn't ever taken the diplomatic route with nem.. Not like he could be surprised there, the woman was a ball breaker.  
“...Alright, so neither of ya got anything to say to each other yet. S'fine.” Logan got up and Raze looked about ready to bolt. “But what I'm gonna ask the two of you to do is for the rest of the day, when you think of something you do wanna say, write it down. And then we can deal with this when everyone else has gone home tonight, give you two a chance to calm down.” He looked pointedly at Akihiro; the boy's eyes narrowed, baring his upper row of teeth in a small growl. “Raze, do you wanna go with Remy back to class, I've gotta have a talk with Aki about some things. Remy can you keep an eye on the kids drawin?”  
The child nodded and slipped off the seat, zipping out the door to walk with Remy as instructed. Ne took instructions well, definitely something he'd have to tread carefully with. Logan waited until Remy closed the door behind them, the cajun shooting him a look with raised brows. _Don't rip into him too bad_..

“I'm not gonna be naïve and pretend that you don't know what happened there kiddo, but you did somethin' you haven't ever done before. Do you know what that was?”  
Akihiro snarled at thin air, tensing.  
“M'not talking about someone beating you, that's a talk for another time. Everyone in that room was reacting worse than they might normally have. Did you do something?”  
“..I don't know.” the boy grumbled, gripping at his knees. Normally he'd be avoiding Logan's gaze, feigning (or not) disinterest in anything he had to say. But this time he was looking him square in the eyes, challenging him maybe? “I was scared.. He's a monster .”  
“I know you were, but that doesn't make nem a monster. Ne was just as scared as you were.”  
“Why do you keep calling him those weird things?”  
“Because Raze is different to you and me a little.” He rubbed the nape of his neck.. “Raze isn't.. Raze isn't a boy or a girl. Raze is both.”  
“So he's like me _and_ Laura at the same time?”  
“I assume so, I haven't actually asked Raven that much yet. Haven't had the chance.” Part of him was still deeply uncomfortable with the fact he could have this conversation with his nearly ten year old son. The boy was wiser beyond his years, shrewd and observant. In the past he'd tried to hide things from him, but when he found out, he punished him in his own little ways. Boy had been a handful, but he was still dedicated, he was all he had left of Itsu and he'd promised her that he wouldn't screw up like he had with her. “What I really wanted to talk to you about was what happened during the fight.”  
“You said you wouldn't assign blame.”  
“I'm not.” Logan put his hands up to placate Akihiro. “Everyone in there was as scared as you were, I've never seen Ro look so shaken, let alone any of the other kids. Was it something you did or was it Raze?”  
“I got vicious with nem. But ne bit me and shook. Animals only do that when they go for the kill.”  
“And I don't want you assigning blame either, Aki. I'm talking about the atmosphere. Didn't it smell strange in there to you?”  
“I wasn't thinking about how it smelt. I was more focused on deterring hi- nem from attacking me.”  
“Did you read anyone's thoughts?” One of them was projecting somehow. He would have put it down to one of them possibly being psychic but the more he thought back to the heat of the moment, there was a sharp smell in the air.  
“No.” Akihiro shook his head. “I know I've had my claws and senses before mutant children usually manifest, but it's getting sooner and sooner. Didn't Dr. McCoy tell you that?”  
“A'right. Do you think you might have somethin else brewing in you? Another set of abilities?”  
“You think I manipulated everyone's emotions?”  
“It was either you or Raze.” _And given your conniving nature it makes more sense it's you._  
Akihiro watched Logan for a moment before pushing himself from his chair and heading towards the door.  
“I'm not writing down anything about what happened earlier. I made my thoughts on the matter clear. Ne's bad news.”

With that the boy left Logan's office, the door didn't slam, instead he left the door wide open. Little shit. Grunting the man shifted to sit at the computer and started writing an email. He wouldn't be so bold as to mark it important, more titled: _when you have the time Hank_ .  
_First fight in months broke out today. Raven dropped a kid in my lap, they're mine. Aki hasn't taken a liking to him, surprising I know. When you have the time, can you come visit. I think he's manifesting a secondary mutation. He managed to make everyone in the room feel as scared as he was. If we don't get a handle on it soon, then things are gonna get complicated around here fast._

_Thanks_

_Logan._

 

 

Being the contrary child he was, Akihiro didn't head back to his lesson with Ororo, instead he made his way upstairs to sit in Laura's class. The bruising on his ribs and upper arms had faded to a barely noticeable twinge if he leant on it wrong. She was in the room that used to be Logan's office. It was stacked with books, understandably the more complicated ones were higher on the shelves out of the children's reach but Aki had managed to snap up his own little collection. It was the understanding that the staff had if they were in there. If Aki appeared then to let him sit quietly on his own and read. It was one of the only things that kept him well behaved sometimes, whilst yes it could have been seen as favouritism and making a few too many exceptions on Logan's part, Aki was good and didn't interrupt unless it was relevant to the lesson. It wasn't that he was introverted neither was he much of an extrovert, but under the right circumstances he did come out of his shell. He thrived in more academic lessons, theory or analysing he excelled. Creating, not so much. Akihiro's work was usually more that of a scientific diagram than a piece of work reflecting something emotional. It wasn't that he didn't have any, it was he was deeply guarded. Something Logan never quite understood in the boy, even if Kurt did tell him that he probably learned from watching him all this time.  
Laura watched him settle in the corner and offered him a small smile. She wasn't stupid, she'd heard the commotion downstairs and knew Aki only ever came up when he wanted space. For now she'd leave him to it, he'd be happier that way.

 

Lunchtime and the yard was overrun by the students either eating sandwiches or playing. Things had calmed down it seemed, though Raze seemed to be sticking very close to Logan's side, keeping nir distance from Akihiro. Though the child seemed distracted, constantly trying to look past the house to see the driveway.  
“You're not still jumpy about Aki are you?” Raze made an 'uh-uh' noise and shook nir head. Nope, definitely looking for something. “What're you looking at?”  
“I'm waiting for mama.” Raze didn't see Logan's expression shift, thankfully. “She said to tell her if anything happened. I told her about Aki and she said she'd be over as soon as possible.”  
“You're okay aren't you?”  
“..Did I do something wrong?”  
“No, I'm sure we'll be able to work it out.”  
“She sounded mad.”  
“She's worried about you, that's all. We all were. But it was a storm in a tea cup right?”  
“A what?”  
“It was a lot of fuss over nothing big. It's over with now and we were gonna work through it. I just hope if your mom comes she doesn't take you home before we can sort it.”  
“I don't think Aki wants to 'sort' it.”  
Logan groaned and shrugged, “Aki's a bit of a puzzle, I'm still finding pieces of him I didn't know were there. Once you get through that outer layer he's not a bad kid. Just a bit too serious.”  
“Sounds like you don't have a handle on him.”  
He looked up to see Mystique standing with her hands on his hips. He hadn't even heard her car rock up, she must have been masking her scent.  
“Maybe not, but I got plenty of time, Raven.” He shielded his eyes from the sun as he looked up at her. She looked ready to go for the kill. So that was where Raze learned go for the jugular and shake. “You should have told me you were coming I'd have rolled out the gold carpet.”  
“In front of our child? Really?” Mystique glanced around the yard, no one seemed to have noticed that she was there yet. Her nose wrinkled at the sight of Akihiro. He matched her glare, daring her silently. “It's no wonder you need so much help to keep this place afloat.”  
“Why don't you an I go inside and talk about this like professionals, hm?”  
“Sounds like that might be too much of a challenge for you, we'll see how long you last.”  
“Ngh. Jellybean, you wanna go sit with Kurt-”  
“I want both of them to be with us.”Logan sighed, glancing over at Aki, the boy slammed his book shut between his palms and began his approach. Of course this would become a shit slinging match. Of course.  
Logan sighed, glancing over at Aki, the boy slammed his book shut between his palms and began his approach. Of course this would become a shit slinging match. Of course.  
“I started it.” The boy stated flatly looking up at them.  
“What?”  
“I started it. I was uncomfortable with the implications of having another sibling dropped on our doorstep. I was wondering if you were going to do a ditch and run like Laura's mother had decided to do. I also know about what you two did whilst my mother was dying with me in her womb.” Logan's eyes widened as Akihiro proverbially twisted the knife. “It was petty of me to take it out on Raze when ne had nothing to do with the decisions made by nir mother. It must take a special type of person to be able to sleep at night after doing such a thing.”  
“So you aren't just a cowardly brat after all.” Mystique's lips twisted into a toothy smirk. “Puppy has some bite in him.”  
“From now on I'll reserve all my resentment for you for just you, rather than making Raze my target. Would that be more acceptable?”  
“I'm still taking nem home.”  
“Shame. Looks as though I really did win today.” The boy's eyes narrowed, smirking. He glanced back at Raze and gave nem a light pat on the back. “See you tomorrow, maybe you'll start to like it here if you're given the choice.”  
It took a moment for everything to sink in, the tension still lingered but Logan had a feeling that he'd just been saved an earful by Akihiro's diversion tactics.  
“Aki's right, if Raze wants to stay then ne can-”  
“For now I'd be more comfortable if ne came home with me.”  
“..Alright, Raze, let's get your things.”  
Raze gave a small nod, not looking up at the adults. Nir head was downcast, shoulders somewhat sagged. Logan could tell already that ne was regretting telling Mystique what had happened. It would have come out in the wash either way. But this was her way of showing she held the strings. Hopefully it was also coming from a good place.

 

Akihiro took his seat back at the picnic bench and set his book out to start reading. Though it was on pages he'd been reading over and over, just so he could keep an eye on Mystique, Logan and Raze. Eavesdropping. Perhaps he'd get berated for being so crass with her, but as far as he was concerned Logan was letting himself get pushed around too much under the ruse that Raze was actually indeed his. The man was a bleeding heart, he knew that much, familiar the child may have been in scent, but time would tell if he was truly his. Mystique wasn't to be trusted, not just because of his grudge.

“You could have gotten father in trouble.” Laura nudged him with her foot. She wasn't reprimanding, she was probably cheering for him inside, not that her blank expression would ever give that much away.  
“He already was. I just helped.” Akihiro shrugged.  
“Smart mouthing bitches like her never works out well for anyone.” Lester muttered, kicking a stone as he approached.  
There was a silence that lingered, the home life that was never spoken about between anyone else. It wasn't polite conversation or something like that. Adults did a lot of dodging the matter at hand. Lester spoke about it openly, but that was because he hadn't been brought up to not. He was being honest, always wore his emotions on his sleeve. It made him an easy target, hence why Akihiro had gone for him that day, said something out of line and he punished him for it.  
“Language.” Logan gave the boy a pointed look, sitting opposite his kids on the picnic bench. Lester looked like he was about to say something back and Logan invited him to sit with them. After all, the kid was the closest thing Aki had for a friend. “He's right, language or not. Mystique's not gonna take that lying down, even if you are a kid. But, you might have diffused it for now. We'll have to see how it shapes up tomorrow.”  
Akihiro shifted, closing his book. Apparently he wasn't going to get a chance to read.  
“You shouldn't be so intimidated by her.” He replied bluntly. “If she's so self-sufficient then why dump her beloved offspring with us? She needs us for something. Raze jumps at nir own shadow, something happened, Howletts aren't jumpy for no reason.”  
“What you gettin' at?”  
“You think something like what's going on with my folks is going on with him?” Lester was slumped on the table, watching Aki, feeling his blood boil from his annoying face, how smart he always presented himself as. But, he knew he was right. He knew the fear that it caused, how erratic behaviour became.  
“Yeah.”  
“Musta done, otherwise he wouldn't have beat seven shades of sh-” Logan cleared his throat, unsubtly glancing at Laura; not that she seemed to have much of an opinion on Lester's choice of language. “stuffing. Seven shades of stuffing outta you.”  
“You have a school dedicated to mutants and troubled kids, how can you not identify symptoms off the bat?”  
“A'right, a'right. I get your point. Problem, Aki, is jumping to conclusions with only a bit of the picture. Y'can speculate about it all you want, but if you take action on a hunch y'gonna get yourself into hot water. You've gotta know the facts. Tomorrow I'll see if I can get Raven to stick around and we can talk about it.”  
Logan got to his feet and that seemed to be that. Aki tsked under his breath, also getting up from the bench. He grabbed Lester's hand and dragged him up to the tree house. Get a better view, see everything. The fact Logan was considering that his son was taking a vantage point with his friend with the wicked aim said a lot about him and his son. At least he was using the damn thing.  
“If I see any rocks flying I'll rip that damn thing down an' you won't have it anymore.”  
Akihiro waved his hand dismissively, opting to roll on his back and stare up at the painted roof above him, trace the wood grooves with his eyes.  
“I know I'm right.” the boy muttered.  
“Alright smartass, we'll see.” Lester scoffed, carving something nondescript into the woodwork. “He can't be as messed up as you.”  
“Hypocrite.”  
“Shit for brains.”  
“You should just stay here. Not go home tonight.” Aki's speech patterns always changed around him. More casual, less high strung. Lester blamed that freaky nose of his and being able to read him like one of his pretentious books.  
“I'm not doing something as girly as a sleepover with you.” Lester made a melodramatic grimace. “I don't care if you want someone to hold your hand after the beating you got from him.”  
“He isn't a he.”“That ginger nut's a girl?”  
“That ginger nut's a girl?”  
“Nope.”  
“You muties are fucked up you know that?”  
“That's all Mystique right there.”  
“I dunno, just look at how you turned out.”  
“Being born nearly three months early does tend to do that to a person's development.”  
“Seriously?”

Lester finally looked interested in spending time with Aki as he joined him on the floor, staring up at the roof. Aki was talking for such a long time that the two of them had missed the bell to go in for lessons, but no one seemed to bother them. It was the first time that he'd been outright honest about his own life to Lester. The boy appreciated the gesture, always having Aki know more about him unsettled him a little. Fuck it, maybe he could be alright with calling him a friend.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping I can keep this one going, inspired a little bit by 'We need to talk about Kevin'. If I've got the grammar or terms wrong for any of the gender neutral pronouns I do apologise and I'll happily go back and fix them. 
> 
>  
> 
> Next chapter   
> Akihiro finally gets his own nickname. Logan tells Kurt and Ororo the story of Akihiro's birth.


	2. Lion's Teeth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan recounts what happened before Aki's birth without realising he has an eavesdropper. Aki takes Lester home but realises that there may be worse things lurking than secrets his father kept from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Nobody in this house  
> Wants to own up to the truth  
> I crawl in shotgun and reach into his mouth  
> And grab hold of one long, sharp tooth
> 
> And hold on  
> For dear life, I hold on'

Time always gave you the power of 20/20 vision. This was also called hindsight. Logan had had years of it, too many should of would of could of's for him to keep track of. Just when he thought he'd put something to bed it reared its ugly head again to remind him of how he'd failed. Raven had been just that. He knew he had to make something good of this, had to make it work, more importantly had to do what was best for his kids.

It was nearly 8pm and most of the kids had been fed and picked up, all but Lester, but that was the norm. In a minute or two Remy would walk him home and then in turn he'd go back to his flat. Ororo and Kurt usually stuck around to plan the following day and that'd be that. But tonight Logan had started on the bourbon rather than the swill he called beer and they both knew it their day wasn't over just yet. It wasn't even that it affected him, it was what it symbolised.  
“I blew it today.” He groaned, setting the glass down on the coffee table.  
“You made the best of the situation that you could.” Ro soothed his shoulder, gently massaging at the tension building. It always stored in his shoulders and behind his eyes. “But this is what we do, Logan. We all knew what we were signing up for. No, you might not be able to make a difference straight away, but we'll do what we can.”

“Yeah..” It was that tone that was flat and yet spoke volumes. He believed in Kurt and Ororo's abilities but not necessarily his own. “I guess I should fill you in on what happened.. might make this easier to deal with.”  
“You're not obligated to Logan, but if we can help, then we will. You know that.” Kurt offered a small smile. He wouldn't force the matter but he also knew how hard it was to make Logan open up about what was going on in his head, this sort of thing required a lot of coaxing normally.

 

_Her name meant peace, and perhaps that was part of what drew him to her. Seeking some of it for himself. But he was still a destructive force, anything he had suffered his bad habit of squeezing that little bit too tight. It was born from desperation. Things never came easily, but taking care of something delicate was always too big of a task._  
 _“You're going out again?” Itsu asked, her thin brows dipping as she saw Logan sling on his jacket. Her hand was wrapped around her rounded belly, soothing the infant inside kicking. Clearly their son could tell she was concerned. “You were out last night too.”_  
 _“Just need some air, darlin'.” His mouth pressed into a firm line, it was supposed to be a smile, but he couldn't mask the intrusive thoughts. “Got a lot to process..”_  
 _Itsu nodded, her own lips pursing. She knew what he was doing, she knew the man all too well. He was scared and these matters were out of his hands, he couldn't fix it, so he got uncomfortable. Whilst it wasn't her fault, being around her made it feel worse. The growing swell of their child the constant reminder of what was to come, and the possibilities._  
 _From the very first_ scan _it showed that she had a weak lining and that she'd need to take absolute care with this pregnancy if they were going to see it through to term. The latest scan had shown that her placenta wasn't as strong as they thought previously. This would have been the second child they would lose if they were unlucky. Logan had offered to allow the doctors to utilise his healing factor, see if that would strengthen it. The_ doctors however _told him that they felt it would be too risky. Logan couldn't press it with them, some of them were already techy about a human marrying a mutant let alone them being interracial. Itsu told him to let it go, even if he could see her own frustration seething within her. She had to think about their son._  
Reaching to _him, Itsu wrapped her arms around his broad bicep, leaning against him._  
 _“I will wait, but I won't wait forever for you Logan.” Gentle and yet firm. “Don't make me do this without you.”_  
 _“I ain't_ leavin _you.” He sighed. And yet there was something in his tone that neither of them trusted. She knew that to Logan their life together would feel short in the grand scheme of things, part of her worried that he was already looking to jump ship. Find something new to cling to. Her eyes narrowed as she made herself let go. If this was to come to pass, then she needed to be strong enough to stand on her own. She'd managed it before Logan entered her life, she could manage now._

_The silence was deafening as Logan left. The bottom of Itsu's stomach felt chilled. She wanted to shake him by the shoulders, make him see sense. But he was flighty and stubborn. Good thing she was equally as stubborn. Taking a breath, she poured herself a glass of water and got herself comfortable on the sofa to spend the rest of the evening reading._

_Logan had travelled to the bar, he used to own it before he passed it down. It'd been so he could spend time with Itsu, be the handy man in the neighbourhood and make a humble living like that, ironic how he drifted back to old habits. He soothed his hand down the polished bar as he took his seat, memories of the good times he'd spent there beckoning him back with a familiar gentleness. He could take comfort in that past, he'd done it enough for years._

_The hours drifted by slowly, smoothly like each drink he managed to down. The bar had an obnoxious sign outside that proclaimed itself 'Mutie' riendly', that had been his one and only condition when he handed the keys over to Tyger. She managed it with an iron hand, always intervening before fights could break out, unafraid to ban the trouble makers. Girl had done him proud. So he really shouldn't have been surprised when he saw a woman enter with blue skin and fire red hair. She entered with a familiar face, Creed. Creed had never taken his relationship with Itsu well, not like he had anyone. Itsu was just the current woman for him to get bitter over.  
Logan dipped his hat, hunching over the bar, like it'd make a lick of difference, the feral had scented him the minute he entered the bar._

“ _This is the second time in as many days ya been here runt.” Creed's lip curled into a mocking snarl. “Startin to think there's trouble in paradise.”_  
 _“Leave it alone, Vic.” Logan sighed, the alcohol's effect already bubbling away, but he was tired._  
 _“Can't blame a man for getting a little insulted when his pal blows him off for wanting to play house.”_  
 _Logan didn't say anything, instead slapping down a wedge of cash to pay off his tab. Perhaps he'd been thinking a little too hard on the old days. Always smelt of roses before he delved too deep. He glanced at Mystique as he got up and she took a hold of his hand._  
 _“What Victor is trying to say is he misses you.” The blonde huffed behind her and swiped up his drink, settling at his usual spot._  
 _“M'not sure the feeling's especially mutual.”_  
 _“Do you miss me at least?”_  
 _Again silence, the difference between Vic and Raven was that she didn't spend her time looking for a fight with him. Way back he might have but he didn't have the energy he used to, or was that his patience?_  
 _“What's going on?” Her glowing yellow gaze softened, he knew he was playing with fire here and that she always wanted something. But he had reached critical mass._  
 _“Not something I can talk about around him.” Logan glanced over to Victor who'd gathered his friends and carried on like always. Obnoxiously loud laughing, crude jokes and talking of what jobs they'd done that day._

_“Your marriage suffering?” She almost purred in amusement, not quite rubbing salt in the wound. Nor was it poking for the fun of it. She wanted to be in the know._   
_“S'complicated.”_   
_“It always seems to be that way doesn't it? Let's find somewhere quiet, we can talk.”_   
_Logan hesitated. On the one hand he could blow off steam about the whole ordeal, in some ways perhaps Raven would understand, despite her habits she did have somewhat of a maternal streak about her. On the other, this could be just another ploy of hers. He groaned and let himself be lead to one of the rooms above the bar._

“ _There's a chance Itsu might lose this one. It'll be second one if she does.” Logan finally broke the silence._  
 _“So the rumours were true, the great Wolverine is finally settling down and laying some legitimate roots.”_  
 _“As opposed to what?”_  
 _“Logan let's not be naïve, you had a tendency of not caring quite where you found the comfort of a woman or what you left her with.” Mystique snorted, watching him. She was pressing buttons. Testing him. “What makes her so different?”_  
 _“I love her.”_  
 _“Does your love for her have to hinge on her ability to have children?”_  
 _“No, course not-”_  
 _“Then why are you here? If you're having a bad patch shouldn't you be trying to fix it? Wasn't that what you resolved to do with yourself?”_  
 _“I wanna have a family Raven. I want kids, what's wrong with that?”_  
 _“You're getting old.” She snorted, reclining in her chair, sizing the man up. “What's so awful about this situation? Losing another child you never met? You don't know what they would be like, you never met them.”_  
 _“I woulda thought you'd be a lil more sympathetic.”_  
 _“I may be a mother, but that's not the be all and end all of my existence, Logan. You should know that. The work I do requires a great deal of rationalisation, getting emotionally involved makes things hard. Wasn't that why you used to sleep around? Connection without the strings attached?”_  
 _“I'm comfortable with these strings.”_  
 _“Of course you are, that's why you've fled to your old bar and are mingling with the likes of myself again. Don't kid yourself, Logan, you're bound and you want out again. This isn't you and it never was. You're not meant to be domesticated.”_  
 _“You don't know me. Not anymore.” Logan gripped at the arms of the chair, threatening to tear the fabric._  
 _Mystique had other ideas, as she hummed lowly, sarcastic. “Of course I don't.” She made her approach. Predatory, dangerous. Logan knew he should have walked minutes ago, needed to be stronger. But he was weak willed and now Raven was taking advantage of it. She straddled his lap, wrapping her arms behind his neck. Instead of moving her, Logan's hands found their way to her waist, holding her in place._  
 _“No strings attached.” She purred. He didn't believe her for a moment, but it didn't stop him from sealing the deal._

_He left the bar several hours later, showering before he went home. His gut felt heavy, despite the relief Raven had provided him with it was shallow. None of his problems had gone away, if anything she'd just added another one to his load. He swore at himself as he clambered back into the truck and made the drive home. He knew that what had just happened was Mystique giving him some vague lesson on 'be careful what you wish for', and he was stupid enough to have gone along with it. He wouldn't mention anything to Itsu, but he knew she wasn't stupid. Maybe she thought that was what he'd been doing out the past few nights anyway. He thumped the dashboard, gritting his teeth. Stupid. Weak willed, selfish idiot.  
Fix this. Make it up to her. Be the best damn husband you can be and then some. Shit, this was the last thing she needed on top of their baby._

_When he entered the house, he threw his keys into the dish by the back door. He looked like he'd been caught with his hands in the proverbial cookie jar. Hiding guilt had never been his strong point._   
_“I thought you would be out later.” There she was, dressing gown on, hair loose and still wide awake. Everything was coming back to him and he clasped his hand over his face, rubbing it. “I came t'my senses.”_   
_There was an element of distrust about her as she remained in the archway, still using it for support._   
_“I'm going to bed.” Itsu replied flatly._   
_“I'll come with you, m'tired as hell”_   
_“Who is she?”_   
_Logan's eyes bugged, blinking at her. “What?”_   
_“I said who is she? You've been out for so many nights. It is Ororo? Jean?”_   
_“Damnnit, Itsu it's not like that.”_   
_“Someone new?” Her brows hiked up. That cold passiveness she'd perfected over the years that their son would posses. “I may not be up to sating your needs, but if you're going out to find it elsewhere then next time you go out the door will not be open for you when you return.”_   
_Logan looked down at his feet._   
_“I haven't been out foolin' with anyone.” Only a half lie, he hadn't been before tonight and that was a mistake he wouldn't be making again. “Been with Tyger at the bar.”_   
_“You miss your life before us?”_

“ _Thought I did. Just been runnin scared.” The brim of his hat hid his eyes, his mouth set into a hard frown._  
 _Itsu unfolded her arms and sighed. She removed his hat and set it on the counter next to his keys._  
 _“Talk to me next time. I am not a mind reader. Awful as you may be at hiding your feelings, keeping them to yourself will not help.”_  
 _He dipped his head and rested their foreheads together, carefully nuzzling._  
 _“'M sorry.”_  
 _“Don't make me do this alone.”_  
 _“I won't. I promise.”_

 

“ _Don't make me do this alone! That's what you said right?” The ambulance ride was bumpy, his grip on her hand never faltered. His chest pounded, cold sweat running down his neck. There had been so much blood. And yet she never once made a sound. She must have been drugged up to the eyeballs, slipping in and out of consciousness. “You can make it.. I don't care if we lose the baby. We got other options, jus' don't leave me.”_

_He must have been in a bad way when the drivers opened the doors at the hospital, he hopped out rubbing his face with his forearm. How the hell had she found out? Had the shock sent her into labour? But the way she was looking at him. It wasn't hatred, it was.. disappointment. He couldn't take her gaze._   
_Logan ran with the doctors and the stretcher, desperate to make sure that she'd be okay, demanding that they use his blood in a transfusion, the healing properties should have done something. But their blood types were apparently incompatible. All he could do was stand at the double doors as a nurse told him to sit and wait._   
_He dropped a message to the only person he could think of. Jean. Told her that Itsu had gone into labour early, that he'd fucked up. There wasn't a reply and he was left alone with his thoughts. All throughout the hospital he could hear doctors demanding medicines for various patients, family members sobbing as they waited by the emergency room like him. Despite how stiflingly clinical it smelt, he couldn't take the sadness that this place absorbed. The scent lingered and stuck to everything. This was his punishment. He played around and now he'd lose both._

_An hour or two passed. Logan had given up on trying to sleep, standing and taking the proverbial brunt of all his inner demons' abuse. A small meek looking doctor emerged from the double doors and approached._   
_“Mister Howlett?”_   
_“S'me.”_   
_“We've managed to stabilise her, your son is in intensive care right now.” Logan's face lifted somewhat. They'd made it. They'd both made it. Was this a second chance?_   
_“Can I see her?”_   
_“...You had better. She's lost too much blood and there's too much internal damage.” He beckoned for Logan to follow him, the tension creeping back in between his shoulder blades. “Since her last scan there's been more complications than we realised, it's a miracle that your son is even alive.”_   
_“Howletts are survivors. An' damn stubborn...”_   
_“You should talk with her.. make peace with her before she goes.”_   
_“She isn't dying.” He growled._   
_“She hasn't got much time, Mr. Howlett. The pregnancy distorted her organs more than it should have done.. we believe that there was internal bleeding for a prolonged time.”_   
_He didn't stick around to hear anything else, pushing the doors to her room open. There she was, hooked up to an IV, a breathing machine and the overwhelming smell of cleanliness. They'd managed to patch her up or at least hide it well._   
_“Itsu..”_   
_“You got your wish Logan-san.” She was speaking in Japanese, it must have been less effort. Her voice barely above a whisper._   
_“Shh, I only got half my wish if what the doctors are saying is true.” He replied, also in Japanese. After all Itsu was a private woman. She'd told the doctors to leave her be with him._   
_“You wanted a child and you got it.” She looked at him, eyes somewhat glassed over. “I was called by a woman before you got home. She told me what happened a month ago. Why didn't you tell me?”_   
_“I was scared.. an I was a selfish fool.”_   
_“Do not let your fear dictate your life.” She coughed. “And do not let my death define me.”_

“ _No, no, no, Itsu, don't-”_  
 _He was interrupted by the monitor going silent. A pager went off outside and the meek doctor that had greeted him entered. Logan stared at him, helplessly, the hand he had been holding completely limp._  
 _“Doc, what are you doing? You gotta resus her!”_  
 _“It was her wish that we didn't.” The man replied quietly, approaching the heart monitor and turned it off. “She saw her child die, she didn't want to come back from that.”_  
 _“But you told me that he's alive!”_  
 _“He got your healing factor. He didn't revive for enough minutes to be pronounced as dead. We didn't want to assume that he would have your.. abilities.”_  
 _“Y'let my wife die thinkin' her son had died?” He paused and glanced back at her. What child had she been talking about? “There a chance that she over-heard one of you talkin? She told me there was a child.”_  
 _“Perhaps she knew he would have your abilities. It could have been the only thing keeping him alive in there.”_  
 _“Your wife was anatomically a mess.” He recognised the voice. It was the doctor that they'd had at the previous scan. He was definitely older. Grey hair pulled up into what looked like a bastardisation of a top knot. “She was not fit for children, but somehow you two found a way.”_  
 _Logan's eyes narrowed, not leaving the woman's side._  
 _“I told y'colleague, Howletts are stubborn.”_  
 _“So I've seen since the day we met.”_  
 _He didn't trust the man. He'd never quite been able to put his finger on his scent. It was almost like he was masking it._

“ _You should go see your son. Make your peace and we shall make sure your wife is tended to properly.” The old doctor stated flatly, he wasn't even trying to be genuine._

_Logan bit back whatever emotion was threatening to boil over and let the smaller doctor lead him to the natal department._  
“We weren't sure which ward to place him in..” The man uttered, trying to keep conversation flowing. “It's a miracle he's alive. But we still want to run some tests, make sure he's alright.”  
“Yeah. I get you.” Logan was on autopilot. Once he had their son home, he'd make sure he dealt with Mystique. It was partially her fault Itsu had died, he wasn't going to let that one go.

 

_The ward was loud, filled with newborns crying. The noise set Logan's teeth on edge, he scanned the babies, trying to scent his own. His son was just left of the middle row, screaming the loudest, on and off, not sure if it could make its mind up on what it was doing. Probably the most traumatic thing he'd hope his son would ever have to go through. The nurses had cleaned him up, and bundled him up neatly. As he approached, the cries grew less sporadic and eventually stopped, blearily looking up at him. For a moment their eyes locked, he had his eyes. Pale icy blue, so piercing on him. After a split second the child began screeching again, kicking and flailing. Logan grimaced.  
“The placenta wasn't properly formed, shrivelled when we got the afterbirth. He's been about starving for the past six months. It's amazing he's here at all.” The doctor commented, Logan's brows dipped. “We'll take good care of him, mutant or not. It's not our job to discriminate. We've got a good support group here, they might be able to help you with him.”_

_Logan dipped his hand into the crib and instantly the baby had a vice grip on his thumb. The screeching gently subsided._   
_“You can pick him up.” A nurse said, setting another newborn in another cradle. By comparison this baby was much larger. “He's got a set of lungs on him.”_   
_“Yeah.. “ He bit his lower lip, examining the boy, not exactly sure he trusted himself to hold him just yet. So small and delicate, he might snap him if he picked him up wrong.. though he may have inherited that from him. He wasn't exactly the healthiest child growing up._   
_“Let me show you.” The nurse smiled, settling the other baby and approached. “Is he your first?”_   
_“...Yeah.”_   
_“Gotta get practising with him then.” He gently lifted the baby and held him to Logan. “Make sure to support his head.”_   
_The baby was dwarfed in his hands, and Logan pursed his lips. He couldn't fuck this up. This was his chance, do right by Itsu finally._   
_“Did you and your wife think of a name?”_   
_Initially he'd wanted to call the boy John when they found out the sex and Itsu made that face that implied he'd have another thing coming if they were calling their boy 'John'._   
_“Akihiro.”_

_\-----------------_

The front door slammed, Logan assumed that it was Remy disappearing out to drop Lester home. Ororo and Kurt had listened to his story attentively, previously unanswered questions finally falling into place. It explained why he was suffocatingly attentive with Aki and the next minute distant.  
“So this is why you continually beat yourself up,” Kurt gave a slow nod. He'd never been especially well acquainted with Itsu. She was secretive and distant like Logan, they were a perfect match like that. Independent entities that happened to mesh well and collide together, jointed by their similarities. Aki was the constant reminder of her existence, treasured but also the cause of remorse within him. It explained why he was such a soft touch on the boy.  
“I don't..” Logan's voice trailed off, he didn't really believe that. He knew Kurt was right. “I haven't been able t'do this without you. Thanks, really I mean it.”  
“Were you ever planning on sharing this with him?” Ororo leant forwards, arms folded around her middle. “You didn't have to be open with us, and we're grateful, but someday you are going to have to answer his questions if it comes up. And if he doesn't ask, perhaps it's best to tell him.”  
“He's had enough trouble growin' up, I'm not going to add this to it.”  
“The boy's curious, he will perhaps ask one day.”  
“Or he already knows.” Remy leant over the sofa back and gestured to the front door. “He's just left to take Lester home. I'm going after him, word through th' grapevine is the Poindexters are on high alert t'night.”

Logan's fists clenched.  
“We can talk about this when I'm back. 'Ro, Kurt, you alright t'stay here whilst we go get 'em back?”

  
Akihiro dragged Lester across the street by the hand. There was no hiding things from a boy whose hearing was constantly acute. He didn't know what he was thinking. He'd been playing with Lester not long before he heard the tones of hushed whispers. He knew his father only did it when he didn't want to draw attention. So naturally he had to find out what it was. Lester had complained loudly that Aki was ducking out of the game he was kicking his ass at, but was silenced by his hand slapping over his mouth and a harsh 'shh'. The young mutant's eyes narrowed as he pressed his ear to the floor.  
Lester knew that Akihiro wasn't the most expressive of boys. His forms of expression were subtle at best, sulking was something he exceeded at. So when he saw his eyes widen and try his hardest to not show anything other than ice-cold detachment, Lester knew something was up. The mutant gripped at the tasselled carpet, sucking and gnawing at his lower lip. His eyes were glassy, but he refused to shed any tears, too much pride. Lester winced as he felt himself grow as upset. Anger, sadness, betrayal, bitterness. He knew it all too well himself. All that was missing was the stomach wrenching fear.  
“Aki-”  
“You should go home. You shouldn't be here right now.” There was a harshness in his voice, too controlled, too taut. He knew what he was doing, it'd been the same after that fight with Raze; somehow he was making other people feel how he did. Was he becoming an empath too?  
Lester gave a sad little nod and let himself be lead away. He winced as Akihiro slammed the front door behind them. Admittedly yes, it was later than normal that he was being taken home. Maybe his mom and dad wouldn't notice? Most of the time they didn't seem to.  
They were met at the door by Lester's brother, Nathan. He was pale and all Akihiro could hear was breaking glass, screaming and crying inside. Why did no one ever do anything to stop this? How could no one else hear this? _It's none of our business son._ Akihiro gritted his teeth and squeezed Lester's hand, his claws threatening to unsheathe themselves.  
“They're going at it again. We'll stay out here, it's okay.” Nathan wasn't much older than Lester really, but there was always a weariness about him that only adults were supposed to have. He'd seen too much, shouldered too much, thought too much. Did anything he could to keep Lester out of the firing line. Not that it worked as the boy was covered in more bruises and cuts than a kid normally got.

“Why don't you stay with us?” Akihiro scowled. Keep them away, it was the most practical thing to do. They had more than enough room.  
“It'll just make it worse, trust me.” Nathan offered a small smile and ruffled his hair. “You should go home.”  
“But-”  
The front door swung open, bellowing and the smell of alcohol rich in the air. Akihiro's nose wrinkled at the smell, watching helplessly as Lester was ripped from his grip lifted by the front of his shirt.  
“Your mother told you to be home for dinner. Do you know how fucking worried she was you little shit?” The monster roared. Akihiro never knew his name, all he knew was he was scum. Pathetic. Useless. Wretched.  
“I'm sorry! I didn't know what time it was-”  
“Course not! You ungrateful brat!” Saliva flew everywhere, his words slurred. Lester's face was peppered, but he was red in the face, too terrified to look away. “You just wan't stay over there forever. Aren't we good enough for you?. An' you.”  
Akihiro's heart sank, fixed to the spot and eyes blown. The drunk looked right at him. His lip curling as he snarled. Viciousness and malice oozing. He'd found his new target.  
“Honey! Leave him alone! He hasn't done anything!” Lester's mother screamed from the door. She'd been beaten black and blue, barely able to hold herself upright. “They're just being children-”  
“Kid's gotta learn. They disobeyed us and now look what's happened, it's their fault and they gotta be punished for it.”  
Fight or flight was starting to awaken in him. Taking on kids his own age was a breeze, he knew he could overpower them. But a large man in his early forties? His mouth grew dry as he watched him drop Lester and go to reach for him. This was it. What could he do? His father always told him to never use his abilities on non-mutants, all of the trouble it would cause. Did self-defence count? Akihiro's arms shot out in front of himself, guarding his face, recoiling.  
  
There was a loud slap. His eyes were closed but he smelt familiarity. Safety, protection and comfort. Family. When Akihiro opened his eyes he saw his father stood between him and Lester's monstrous father. He was growling. His teeth were bared. A chill ran down his spine. He'd never seen his father like this. Ferocious, full of rage, _fear_ and he wanted to grab his leg and cling onto him, bury his face into him and cry his eyes out. But he couldn't move, no matter how much he wanted to move he can't. He looks to Lester and there's big fat tears rolling down his face, and the overwhelming stench of ammonia seeps into his nostrils.  
“Back off Poindexter. S'enough.” He almost roars at him. Aki can hear the adamantium in his bones shifting. How he'd like nothing more than to slice him open on his own driveway and never have to deal with him again. But he's being controlled. “Leave 'em alone an' go sleep it off.”  
“Howlett I've had enough of your fucking attitude, filthy fucking mutie freak.”  
“It was an honest mistake. You think the way t'deal with this is to lay into your wife and kids?”  
“They don't respect me.” The man bellowed. The neighbours were starting to gather, looking out of their curtains, some gathering on the drive ways. No one dared get any closer. But Logan stood firm, even if the man towered over him.  
“You keep this up, I'm calling the cops.”  
“You have no fucking right-” The monster went to punch Logan out, but he caught his fist. Akihiro flinched and fell back over himself.  
“I gotcha lil' homme.” Remy appeared from out of the haze and scooped the boy up, standing near Lester. “You okay?” Lester didn't see him, he was too transfixed on the scene in front of him. His father went to punch Logan with the other hand and watched as he floored him. Strong as he may have been, alcohol didn't help balance. Logan's knee was firmly pressed on his chest, pinning his arms down.  
  
“No, _You_ don't have any _fucking right_. Y'don't lay a hand on y'wife an kids.” There was that almost roar again. Akihiro clung at Remy tighter. He'd never seen his father like this and part of him was terrified and relieved at the same time. He was inches from his face, snarling and taut, coiled ready for the kill. _Do it. End it. Dispose of this monster_ \-- “I see your kid come over day in day out with your knuckles printed on him an I keep quiet. But you lay a hand on my son and I'll make you wish you'd never been born. Enough's enough.”  
In the distance sirens echoed, red and blue lights flashing, Logan looked up, thankful that someone had had the sense to get the authorities involved. God knew what he would have done if he'd seen him lay into his son like he did Lester. Their situation was terrible. Poor woman was reliant on him. He'd been a good man for so many years, but something just changed. Neighbours said he'd been working to a promotion but it got given to someone else and he lost it. Blamed himself and soon it wasn't enough. Couldn't handle it anymore.  
“See how an evening in the damn drunk tank fixes you up.” Logan spat, getting up as the cop car pulled up.  
Akihiro was whisked out of the way, Ororo and Kurt arriving on the scene. He was passed to Ro whilst Remy saw to Lester and Nathan, Kurt went to Lester's mother. He offered her a warm smile, taking her hand as he lead her back inside, promising that it'd be alright. She just kept uttering that it'd get worse. That they shouldn't have gotten involved, they shouldn't have interfered. They all must have realised it because Kurt's face grew solemn. It was too noisy, he couldn't focus. Too many people were talking at once, too much screaming, too much fear and hurt. Desperately he looked around, trying to see where Logan was. Aki caught a glimpse of Laura looking out of her bedroom window at them. She was alright. Had she heard Logan talking earlier like he had?  
“He's just speaking with the police, don't you worry.” Ororo soothed, stroking his hair and holding him tighter. “See, he's right there.”  
She pointed Logan out. His expression hadn't shifted from that growl, so much pointing and snarling at the man in handcuffs sat in the backseat. One police officer had gone into the house and all he could hear was Lester's mother wailling. _Press charges. We need you to press charges or we can't do anything_. Why wouldn't she? Why was she letting him get away with it? Where was Lester? Was he okay? Akihiro looked up and saw the light of his bedroom on, music was playing but he couldn't put his finger on it. He gripped at Ororo's shirt tighter, fighting back the prickling heat behind his eyes, sniffing loudly. This had been a disaster.  
“They'll be fine now.” She tried to sound convincing, but Aki knew better.  
“Things are going to get worse.” _Someone needs to get rid of that monster_.  
Ororo's gaze met with Logan and Logan beckoned her to get Akihiro back inside.

 

Akihiro lay on the sofa, his head on Ororo's lap as she petted his hair. His throat still felt tight, treading that line between fine and ready to burst into tears, switching sides erratically. He knew the truth about his mother, but his father had also put himself between him and a monster blindly. _And what if it's just because he's a stronger monster?  
“_They're alright.” The door closed, Logan, Remy and Kurt had returned to the house and he could have sworn he heard Remy mutter 'for now'.  
Logan sat down next to him on the sofa and gave the others a solemn glance. “Thanks for helping...” _When it rains it pours_.  
“We should all go home and rest. Today's been.. trying for all of us.” Kurt offered, his hand ghosting over Logan's shoulder. Ororo's hand left Akihiro's hair to soothe Logan's hand.  
“Show must go on and all?” Remy sighed, running a hand through his hair.  
“Kid if you don't wanna come in tomorrow.”  
“I'm cool, I'm more worried about Lester and Aki.”  
“Show must go on.” Akihiro mumbled.  
“If you wanna skip lessons tomorrow, m'not gonna make you go. I'll go over to Bessy in the morning, see if Lester wants to come over.”  
“He doesn't want to be there.” Akihiro sat up. “He told me so earlier. He's thought about running away. But he's too scared. He thinks his dad will find him and hit him again. Why can't we help?”  
Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. The cops had said there was going to be an investigation in the morning, but how long they'd keep the man in custody was beyond him.

“We'll keep an eye out for them. Promise.” Logan grunted as he picked up Aki and set him on his knee. “But, we've got stuff to talk about. So, see you all at 9 right?”  
Ororo, Kurt and Remy nodded, getting up to gather their things. One by one they filtered out, offering kind parting words to the two of them. It was nearly midnight, but despite it being so far past his bed time, Aki was wide awake. The front door closed behind Remy and he felt his chest tighten once more as Logan's gaze had settled on him. He looked so sad. The boy looked at him, taking in his weary features and he hated himself for how his bottom lip trembled. His cheeks flushed red with rage.  
“I'd meant to tell you. You weren't supposed to hear it like that. But you're so young, it wasn't right.” Logan grimaced, too ashamed to maintain eye contact. The tears gathered at the corners of his eyes and threatened to fall once more. _Swallow it down. Don't cry. You're not a baby.  
_ “Why?” His voice cracked. “If you loved her then why?” He hated him, but he couldn't stop thinking about how Logan had flung himself between him and the monster.  
“I was young and selfish. I wasn't thinking at the time. We were stupid and didn't talk.” Logan shook his head again. “We didn't talk enough. Or I just didn't listen enough.” He was blinking a lot too. “I regret it to this day. There was so much I should have said that I didn't. That's why you are everything, kiddo.”  
Logan looped his arm around Akihiro and pulled him closer into an embrace. “You're all I have left of her and I love you so much. I'm not good at sayin it enough, but I couldn't stand the thought of him laying a single hand on you.”  
Akihiro blinked the blur out of his eyes, his cheek nuzzled into the dip of Logan's shoulder. His musk was strong, fear, regret, sadness. He gripped him tightly, pretending to himself that his eyes didn't have streams flowing from them, making his shirt not quite so comfortable with the cold wet pooling.  
“You an your sister are everything t'me.” His voice was surprisingly controlled, holding him tight. “I don't know what I'd have done if I'd been there too late.” _There wouldn't have been anything left of him. There's viciousness in our blood. I had to get it from somewhere._  
Aki didn't say anything else, he remained in his father's arms, listening to him talk until he fell asleep. No adult was infallible, but after this, Logan had proven himself far from despite his attitude. He had to pretend to be the infallible adult. He had to shoulder everything. Be strong and not burden anyone. Pure machismo. And despite everything it had taught him, he would still continue believing it was the right way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'In come the cops  
> They blowtorch the doors  
> I start wailing  
> The lion roars
> 
> There's no good way to end this  
> Anyone can see  
> There's this great big you  
> And little old me
> 
> And we hold on  
> For dear life, we hold on  
> We hold on'  
> Lion's Teeth - The Mountain Goats


	3. Dancing With The Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Lester's homelife, Aki meets a man who will change his life forever and Mystique plans her disappearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'You and I made a deal  
> I was young and shit got real  
> Weaving through Heaven and back  
> Whoaaa'

No one spoke about what had happened the night before. Life seemed to just carry on as usual. Aki's nose wrinkled at the thought, of course as much as they preached openness and being there for their own whenever it came to addressing fresh wounds (which was when they were supposed to), they let things soothe over for a while beforehand. Lester was quiet most of the day, normally after a bad night he'd be distant and aggressive to anyone who came near, but today he was all but glued to Aki's side.  
“You tell anyone I pissed myself and I'll fucking kill you.” He angrily muttered under his breath. Perhaps if he'd handled the situation with more dignity than he had done, he'd have a leg to stand on if he were to rub it in his face. But he didn't.   
“I didn't know it was that bad.” Aki leant on his desk, looking up at him. _I should have been stronger.  
_ Lester gave an ugly snort, staring out the window at his house. For a kid pushing ten he was more cynical than he should have been. He knew that come that evening his father would be back. He hated Logan for stepping in. He should have just let him do it. God knew what would be waiting for him when he went home that night.  
“It's going to get worse. That was him going easy on us.” Lester shoved his hands in his pockets, staring at a patch on the floor. His shoulders were still sore from being lifted by his shirt, his throat still ragged from yelling. Remy had seen him at his worst, and there was just something embarrassing about having a 'babysitter' give you a bath. “Your dad shouldn't have said anything. He shouldn't have even fucking been there.”  
“He was supposed to let your dad smack me around?” Aki's eyes narrowed dangerously and Lester groaned, rubbing his nose.  
“Nah... Nah he wasn't.” His shoulders sagged as he sighed. “Not used to having to worry about anyone other than me, Nate and Ma. I'm used to it, I know you heal, ya weirdo, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt less.”  
“Logan almost went for him. I've heard how he used to be a real tough guy. No one messed with him. Went by the alias of Wolverine.” Aki put the book he was feigning to read aside. He'd seen a glimpse of how vicious he could get. Perhaps, they could use it. All he needed would be a push in the right direction.. “Maybe if it does get worse, all we need to do is use that.”  
“You're offering to get yourself beaten up by my dad just so your dad will kick the shit out of him right back?”  
“Wolverine was, 'the best at what he did. And what he did wasn't very nice'. Something pathetically droll like that.”  
“Whoa, look I know he's an asshole, but that's too much.” Lester bit his lip and watched Akihiro. His eyes wide. He was, just, talking smack, right? He was just upset after what had happened and was trying to make himself feel better... He also knew Aki didn't joke much.  
“He hits you like it's nothing. He doesn't care what he does to you. Why should you show him the same courtesy back?”  
“Because he's my dad-”  
“He's a monster and he doesn't deserve you.” Aki got to his feet and grabbed Lester's hands. “Stay here with us. Don't go home tonight. Live with us.”  
“I can't do that, what about mom and Nate?” Akihiro grimaced. Truth be told he didn't really care about them. He didn't know them. It didn't affect him.   
“...I don't know.” Akihiro's hands slipped off Lester's and watched his expression blankly. He was doing that thing where he was calculating everything. Trying too hard to cover up a mistake, gauge what he should be saying. All Akihiro knew was that this was a lost cause. “It's a stupid idea. Forget it.”  
“What do you really think about it?” Lester's eyes narrowed. One minute Akihiro could be as cold as ice and the next have a pointedly clear moral compass.  
“I told you already.” Akihiro insisted, his nose wrinkling. _One day you're going to have a beautiful poker face. Just not yet._ Lester sighed and patted his shoulder.  
“We can think on it today, your dad's not going to make us go to classes right?”  
“You can stay here if you want.” _I can't stay here and think about it. I can't look at you and not see the terror in your eyes. Makes me sick to my stomach._   
“I don't want to be alone.” Lester's words were a little strangled, he'd grabbed Akihiro's wrist. It was hard for him to admit it, but he confided in Akihiro in a weird way. He always made him feel comfortable and relaxed. “But I don't want to see anyone else.”  
Akihiro sighed if it were anyone else he'd shake him off and tell him to grow up. “You wanna get the lesson plans from the teachers and go do them in the tree fort?”  
“I don't know. I'm just tired.”  
“Well I'll do them.. you can.. do whatever.”  
That coldness again. It hurt, but Lester knew why. He was frustrated. As much as Aki wanted to hide his emotions he had his own little tells. He wanted to do something but was restricted by his age, inexperience and more importantly (although the last of his concerns) legal adult stuff. He wasn't being cold to him, he had to keep reminding himself.

The two headed downstairs, settling themselves at the breakfast table. Aki left Lester eating his cereal to speak with Logan, or whoever he could find. His nostrils caught a familiar unfamiliar scent. The brat. His brows dipped and he snuck around the corner. He peered at the front door, he could hear harsh hushed voices, something about how lucky Logan was that ne was even back today. But when Aki caught a glimpse of Raze, something seemed off. Ne was like him. An anger was causing tension, but the way nem's mouth was pursed, there was a silencing element. Mystique shot Aki a piercing glance as she turned on the ball of her foot and left. Aki and Raze's eyes met, unlike yesterday, Raze didn't falter. Nir's form shifted, the unique androgyny ne possessed before was gone, ne was no longer like ne was before. Ne was a he. The freckles were gone, his jaw appeared more defined. He looked more like their father. Logan glanced behind him and spotted Aki.  
“C'mon, how can you have the energy for this at this time of day?” He already sounded weary. Aki clicked his tongue, briefly breaking eye contact with Raze as he approached.   
“Lester doesn't want to go to class, I do, but he doesn't want to be alone.” He stated, clearly aggrivated.   
“So he wants some company? I could get-”  
“No, he wants me there. Can you give me something to do?”   
“You running away after yesterday?” Raze spat.   
Aki's eyes widened and returned his attention to the other boy. The aggression had surfaced over night. Something was bubbling within, perhaps if he were someone else then Aki might have stopped to consider why. All he knew was he'd just been issued a challenge, and after the night before and seeing how scared Lester was..  
Aki bristled.   
“Raze-”  
“No, I just have more important matters to attend to than an afterthought. You're not worth my time. Go cry to your mother.”  
Logan's blood ran cold. He knew very well what his son was capable of doing, but there was very little emotion there at first glance. Raze had challenged and Aki had deflected it.  
“None of that.” Logan stepped between the two of them, watching Raze's face twist into rage. “Aki, I'll get Kurt to drop off something for you and Lester, now apologise to Raze. And Raze, we'll talk about it. Alright?”  
Raze growled and clutched at Logan's leg, Aki seemed to mimic him. Fighting over him? This he couldn't take, he didn't value one over the other, but explaining that to kids, let alone neuro-divergent kids was another matter entirely. Logan growled and picked the two of them up, one under each arm, like he were carrying rolled up carpets.  
“We're not havin' another repeat of yesterday. You two are gonna have to work this out, like it or not, you're _family_. Family don't always see eye to eye, but they're there for one another. Aren't they?” He glanced at Aki, his brows raised. All Aki could think on was the night before, he squirmed and tried to latch at Logan's side. He was getting too big for this, but Logan's grip remained strong. “Now, y'either work this out now before school, or you have space and do this later.”  
“I don't want to see-”  
“That's not what your options are.” Logan growled and set them down on the kitchen counter stools. Lester looked up and caught a glance at Raze. There was a slight shift as he rocked his stool closer to Laura. “Talk it out now, or later. End of conversation.”  
Aki hissed like a cat at Logan, hunching over his breakfast. Raze remained silent, but the expression of murder was set. _When it rains it pours_. Logan groaned internally. _Deep breaths, you can do this. You made a promise, you're gonna keep it, old man._

“Let's deal with it now.” Raze finally spoke, “Aki doesn't like me. I don't like him because he doesn't like me. He's so worried his dad's going to leave him like he left his mother.”  
Logan dropped the plate he was carrying, the gears jammed, trying to process exactly what he'd just heard. Mystique. This was all Mystique's doing. Get the kid wound up and leave him here to be her personal wrecking ball. Aki's eyes were wide, staring at the food he'd been considering eating, his shoulders jerked as his breathing grew erratic.  
“I got brought here because my mother has work and doesn't trust anyone else. I don't want to be spending my time with some mutant-human daken anyway.”  
“Raze do you even know what that word means?” Logan couldn't tear his eyes off the child in front of him, how could he change so much in one night? He was spewing venom, but there was something else. Was he being self-destructive? He knew that had to be hereditary. Hurting because he was hurt. Lester did the exact same thing.   
“It means mongrel, mother told me. She told me that's all you are, Daken.”  
“Keep talking.” Aki growled, his fist shaking.   
“No, Raze, don't.” Logan rushed around the counter to reach the boy. Akihiro blanched, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to strangle him, finish what he was doing yesterday. Put the little brat in his place. Little pretender. Pathetic- Logan took Raze by his shoulders and stared at him. “Sounds like your mother's been saying a lot. Your mother and I have history, yeah, but it's got nothing to do with Aki, or you. If she wants to drag you into it, then she and I are gonna have a nice long chat. You and Aki are _siblings_. And it's up to you to form your own opinion of him, no matter what your ma has to say about it. Y'understand me?”  
Raze glanced up at Logan, only for a split second looking in Daken's direction, it was all it took. There was a clatter as the other boy had got down from the stool, Logan had been expecting a fight, but Aki had left the kitchen. His skin crawled. There wasn't just Mystique's influence in there. She may be cruel but she was systematic. This was hurt for the sake of hurt. Only one person he knew who had that much hate in him. The hell was Mystique doing raising a kid around that psychopath?  
“Yeah.” Raze shrugged.   
“You're gonna find him, and you're going to apologise. Fix this.” He was using his warning tone, the 'you won't like me when I'm mad'. Lester had heard it before, it rarely came out these days, but he'd heard it last night.   
  


Laura stepped into the backyard, looking around for her brother. He never hid, just removed himself from sight. Normally he shut himself off in his room, maybe he needed air?  
“Aki?” The morning dew was cold under her feet, she could just about smell him, but the scent was obscured by something. “Aki are you okay?” Fresh, the breeze was thick with pollen, there was something else, salt? She winced. Logan had taught her a few basics of how to identify scents, how to smell where a person was. But Aki had been taught for longer, he tracking better, and by that merit, how to avoid it.  
“Princess.” Lester stepped outside, watching where he was stepping, nearly going head first into the ground because of a patch of mud. “Hey, princess.”  
“He can't have gone far, his shoes are still by the door.” Logan was slightly hunched, his arms out to the side, weight on the balls of his feet. “Lester, I need you to let 'Ro know what's happened, an get Kurt to spend some time with Raze today. Laura, you're with me, gonna finish that lesson.”  
Laura nodded quickly, Lester grimaced and nodded with gritted teeth and clenched fists. _How dare he talk to Aki like that. He doesn't know shit. Talk shit get hit,_ a lesson he was going to teach Raze sooner than later.

 

Aki charged away from the house, towards the stream. The swinging tire. The one his mother had tied something to. It still smelt of her according to his dad. _Daken. You're a mongrel. Human-mutant daken._ His jaw was set so hard he felt his teeth grinding. Perhaps if his father could see him now he'd be proud of the roots he avoided tripping on. No, he wasn't like other people. None of the kids at the school were. They were all misfits, different in some way. And there was him, a mongrel. A half-breed. _Daken_. The child all but skidded as he reached the small beach. The tire swung gently in the breeze, Aki bee lined towards the piece of cloth that was tied around it. Despite smelling like the outdoors, there was something else there. A delicate scent.  
“ _She was a beauty. Such a shame really._ ” Akihiro's head shot up, pulling the cloth away from the tire. It was old and uncared for, it tore so easily. Fragile as it was, he held onto it tight, near his cheek. Maybe once upon a time it was smooth. The voice was deep. But they weren't speaking English. Japanese.  
“ _W-who are you?_ ”  
“ _I am who you will become._ ”  
Akihiro tried to keep the bravado up, but found himself backing up against the tree. He wasn't about to leave himself exposed.  
“ _Unless you're a time traveller that doesn't make sense_.”  
“ _I knew your mother, and your father. I could tell you about her._ ”  
“ _What did her name mean. If you really knew her_.”  
“ _Peace. But she was like you. Sceptical, shrewd, intelligent_.. _You had to have gotten it from somewhere_.” The boy relaxed somewhat, managing to just about pin point where the voice was coming from. They were moving, shifting around the other side of the river bank. “ _I tried to offer your father help before, but he turned me down. I could have saved your mother if he'd let me._ ”  
“ _...My father's.._ ”  
“ _It was an accident, yes. But he was careless and too proud. I see that the cycle is due to repeat itself._ ”  
“ _Nothing's changed. My father still loves me. He protects me._ ”  
“ _Because of guilt. Do you really deserve such a half hearted form of affection? He does it for your mother, not you._ ”  
“ _You don't know what you're talking about._ ”  
“ _I know more than you young mongrel._ ”  
“ _I'm not a mongrel!_ ”

“ _Wear your flaws like armour. Embrace them. Then no one may hurt you with them._ You are Daken. But a Daken of what? A feral and a human? No, you're far greater than they know.” The man switched to English halfway.   
“My mother wasn't human?” Akihiro's eyes widened, pulling himself up on the hanging tire to get a better look. He saw a dull white, between the bracken. They almost smelt like Logan. But older.  
Logan went through moments where he'd break into a bolt, and then tread carefully. Laura was clinging to his back for dear life. He'd ask her what she smelt, even if it was just him. Make her break it down, analyse it, why would it smell like that. They were nearing the river, it was hard to pick up any scent that way. But Logan insisted that the trail was fresh. Raised voices were what tipped them off. Aki was easier to hear than the other voice, he was closer. But the other voice had such a deep timbre that it was still a present reverberation, even if the words were almost impossible to make out. Laura couldn't quite make out the conversation, but the closer they got, the faster Logan got, she finally smelt more. Panic, adrenaline, fear and curiosity. But that curiosity wasn't Logan's. Logan's footsteps, despite the adamantium bones he possessed, were surprisingly light, but that didn't stop the snap of the twig alerting the two to their presence. There was a growl and the bracken across the river rustled as whatever it was left. _Creed? Was that you Creed? Whispering lies to both of my sons._  
Akihiro lost his grip on the tire and plummeted into the river. It was shallow. There was a loud crunch and slap as he collided with the wet sand. He remained still and Logan bellowed, rushing to fish him out. His feet were caked in mud and foliage. Laura clung fast, trying to climb further up Logan's back to see Aki. His brow had a cut, but it seemed the worst there'd be was a concussion. But there was so much blood. Logan knew that it couldn't have just been in the water. He hissed as he snagged his thigh. Looking down he saw his claws were out. Why were they out, had he smelt a danger? Had he made him jump enough that he'd let them out in defence. They always filled him with concern whenever he saw them, they were different to his own Logan's before Weapon-X were like the rest of his bones. White and smooth. He lifted Akihiro's hand and examined them. Dark brown, ferrous, three- no. Two were between his knuckles, but the third extended from his wrist. Were the rest of his bones like this? Always questions about him. Whilst he was aware mutations happened in each generation, there were perhaps a few too many in one child.  
“Dad, will he be ok?” Laura's voice shook. “Who was he talking to?”  
“I don't know darlin', really wish I did... we'll ask him when he wakes up.”

 

“Your son's proving to be a handful, Logan.”   
“You're telling me,” Logan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was the second email in as many days he'd sent to Hank. Whilst it was known he was a compulsive worrier for his brood, it was excessive even for him. “I didn't know mutations could manifest themselves that early. It was bad enough when Aki first got his claws, let alone the shock when I met Raze.”  
“I know you don't like me saying it, but your genetics are strong. Blue eyes are a recessive gene compared to other eye colours, and yet Aki ended up with blue rather than brown. That's a very slim chance and yet it happened. It's not surprising perhaps that your children will be as powerful, potentially if not more so than you.”  
“Thank you, that's just what I needed to hear.”  
“This isn't the time for sarcasm. I've already examined his claws, but you mentioned he may be able to affect people's emotions?”  
“Ah yeah.. the fight. Sorry, Hank, a lot's happened over the past few days. Raze has Mystique's abilities, no doubt. But everyone in that room, including myself felt what Aki was feeling. I knew it wasn't me, but it was overwhelming.”  
“You don't think he's developing telepathy?”  
“For everyone's sake I hope he's not.”  
“What else happened?”  
“How long, y'got?”  
  


Akihiro sat in silence, once again the book was being ignored in favour of gazing into deep space. Lester could never get used to it when he was like this, granted this one was induced by a waning concussion, but to see him inactive was unsettling. No cogs turning, no scheming, just gazing and wondering. If he was even doing that.   
“...You okay?”  
“Mm.” It was non-committal, deep thought it was.   
“Your dad said you were talking to someone. Who was he?”  
“I don't know.” _But he said he'd be back. If I wanted to escape, run to the river bank, he'd be there._ “Just an old fart probably.”  
“You were talking to an old man hiding in bushes. Do you know how gross that sounds?”  
“He didn't flash me, I think I can live.”  
Lester swung his legs over the edge of the treehouse, he sucked his teeth, noting he probably should have brought a toothbrush with him.  
“...So what does day-ken mean?”  
“Dah-ken.” Akihiro corrected. “A group of a consonant and a vowel together is pronounced together, so it reads how it looks if that makes sense. It means mongrel in Japanese.”  
“He's one to talk.”  
“Not the first time I've heard it.” Akihiro rolled on his back, looking at the notches in the wooden panelling once more.  
“Where were you before?”  
“A couple of summers ago we went travelling around Jasmine Falls, my mother's home town in Japan. At first they thought that my dad had kidnapped me, but when they found out who he was we were let in. They didn't really approve from what I gathered. He took me there so I could learn about my heritage, said it was important.” Akihiro snorted. “Didn't like me because I was half Canadian, half Japanese. So, they called me mongrel. Whenever my father wasn't around I was referred to as Daken.”  
It was also the year that his claws and healing factor had manifested themselves. One group of boys had taken to pretending to be friends with him when Logan was around, but as soon as he was on his own with them, they became different people it seemed. They wanted him out of their town because their parents had told them about him. He put one in hospital, another suffered a bad case of food poisoning, another fell into the river and the last one had started a fight. The scuffle wasn't bad, but the puncture wound he received through his arm sent Aki and his father running from the town; never looking back.

“Why didn't you say anything?”  
“I didn't realise what it meant until I asked him. I'd already looked up the word, but I didn't realise it was a slur.”  
“Sound like a bunch of backwater nuts.”  
“I could see why my father romanticised it. But no one really wanted to tell us much about Itsu. She came from a lineage of shrine maidens. But they seemed to have a statue of a Kitsune in the town. It looked angry.”  
“What's a Kitsune?”  
“A fox with many tails. A fox with nine tails is the oldest and strongest. It's a symbol of their power, stronger they get the more their tails split. Their traditions were just very strong. It's easier in small rural villages than in cities.”  
“How did Raze find out about it then?”  
“Probably Mystique. It's what dad said. He used to talk to her all the time. How he spoke to her for so long and she kept Raze hidden is beyond me. Dad trusted her, but I don't think she's someone you can trust.”  
“Two-faced is a word for it.”  
“I could tell you several words for her, but dad's in ear shot.”  
  


“Our mother is a difficult person, I find sometimes.”   
Raze didn't say anything, he watched Kurt with a sort of distrusting silence. How had Kurt not got the ability to shape shift? Their mother's genetics were also strong. But he didn't smell like other mutants, he had a musk of wood smoke about him.  
“What do you want?” Raze huffed.  
“You are my younger brother, I wish to extend a hand to help. I'm aware that Aki can be difficult too. He means well, really. He just doesn't understand things like you or I.”  
“I think he gets it more than he lets on.” The child folded his arms and leant back in the sofa chair.  
“Perhaps. But we can't make assumptions.” Kurt watched him, still tense and guarded. “Tell me, what is bothering you?”  
“Hmm?”  
“Did yesterday upset you that much?” Raze said nothing, he continued to look anywhere but at Kurt. A conscious effort on his part rather than an indicator of another problem. “What's wrong mien liebling?”   
Raze shook his head, but his eyes had narrowed. He was anxious. “You don't have to tell me, but, I am here for you if you want to talk. I promise.”  
“...Have they found Aki yet?”  
“I think he's been found yes.”  
“...I didn't..” Raze hunched up further, drawing his knees under his chin. He shuddered and the harshness of his features faded back into ne's freckled self. “...Mama said that..”  
“You can apologise to him when he's back, can't you?” Kurt offered a smile and his hand. “It's never too late to make amends to someone.”  
Raze reached up and pulled Kurt back onto the sofa. Ne had a surprisingly strong grip for someone so young, but ne curled up against him all the same. Large tears fell from nir's eyes, gripping tight to Kurt's red dress shirt. There was a great deal going unsaid, that much was clear. Perhaps Mystique didn't allow nem to express nemself as freely?

 

The tip off that perhaps something was wrong was the phone call that they'd received that night. Raze, Aki, Lester and Laura were having dinner in the other room. Logan listened to Mystique with a fixed expression. All forced. For someone who was great at plans, being genuine was clearly not something she was accustomed to. She sounded worried. Who's fingers had she burned now? The great and mighty Mystique who answered to no one was now on the run?  
“So this means you're leavin' Raze with me? You ain't even gonna see the kid before you disappear?”  
“Ne'll understand. I told nem this morning that there was every possibility of this happening.”  
“You don't treat a kid like that-”  
“As much as I'd love to listen to your sanctimonious preaching, I have to go.”  
The line went dead and Logan found himself staring at the phone, trying to process exactly what had happened. He looked over his shoulder and caught Raze's eye. His expression was taut, probably heard every word.   
“Raze, your ma, she's said that you're gonna be here for a while. I tried to ask her when she'd be back but, she didn't know.”  
Raze didn't say anything, just gave a small defeated nod. Not long after Aki had returned to the house had Raze resumed his masculine persona. It explained why he was so tense all day. He had to wonder how a mother could do that to their child. The hell was she thinking?  
“We've got a spare bed, ain't got much, but we can accommodate for you. Promise.”

The feeling Raze got in his gut was a mix of euphoria and dread. Free from the monster Mystique kept around, but now he didn't know what would be happening to her. Had she confronted him about what had happened yesterday? Creed didn't have much in the way of influence, so what was there to be worried about? Why would she go into hiding? The things he heard them talking about.. he knew it had been coming for years. Creed was always so insistent that nothing was right with his mother. How he'd take better care of him. He shuddered. Mama had always told him that Creed wasn't to be trusted, keeping enemies closer than friends. Yet he purred like a beast for her. He couldn't get the sight out of his head, no matter how much he tried to not think of it.  
He hummed in response to Logan, dipping his head somewhat. Maybe Creed was right, what had happened before wasn't just an accident.

 

\-------

“Come on, be careful of the damn paint work.”   
“How come you get the nice car?” Raze grumbled, leaning on the bonnet deliberately. He loved watching Aki's face twist like that. That delicate mix of disgust and weariness.   
“Because I pitched in and I have a part time job. That's why.”   
Aki's sleeves were rolled up, despite doing a what would be considered mucky job, there he was still dressed like he could drape himself on the bonnet at the drop of a hat if a talent scouter came along. Always was the pretty one. Raze half spat, torn between making sure he got the car and not, because he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to deal with his wrath today, but damnnit he was still going to press his buttons. “And, I actually passed my test.” Aki added under his breath.  
“I'm totally capable. You've been in the car when I was driving.”  
“Yes, I also threw up everywhere. So I have to question your capability.”  
“You chuke no matter who's driving the car. You chuke when I do it, you chuke when dad does, you chuke when your boyfriend drives-”  
“I thought I told you it's not an actual relationship.”  
“Ah yeah, cause your boyfriend doesn't wanna admit he's as queer as the day is long.” Raze laughed. “You'd think from almost living with us for as long he'd have less of a trouble with it. We're the poster children for the rainbow flag and mutie weirdos.”  
“You know why.” Aki raised an eyebrow and gave a pointed glance to Lester's house. Lester's father's voice could be heard throughout the cul de sac, bellowing with laughter at some second rate comedy show he'd found to watch that Sunday.   
Raze sucked on his teeth and shook his head. “He's only just gotten back, you'd think the next time he flips his shit he'll be away for good.”  
“Don't you worry about that.” There he went, being weird and cryptic all over again. Raze could only assume that Aki and Lester had made some pact together that the next time he went off the rails that'd be it for him. “He'll come around in his own time. Besides, until then, I have time myself.”  
“You're such a slut.”  
“Sexually promiscuous, thank you very much. I am not an untidy woman, nor is it your business how many people I sleep with.”  
“Hah. Kinda is when you make me sleep in the spare room.”  
“The fact you haven't made that _your_ bedroom is still a worry. Logan keeps offering. It's easier to sleep alone and without a night light when you actually start doing it.” He still can't put his finger on when Aki started referring to their father as Logan.  
“I don't need a night light.” Raze growled, cheeks going purple.  
“I've seen you turn it on in the night when you think I'm asleep.”  
“Does it bother you?”  
“No. I just don't see why you can't admit to it. Besides, blue light is more likely to keep you up. You'll want a warmer coloured bulb.”

The door across the way slammed, Lester half stumbled out the front door, yelling something dismissive. His hair was starting to grow back, the fine blonde stubble becoming a bit too thick and concentrated to be called stubble anymore.  
“Have you told him to turn it down yet?” Aki smirked.  
“Doubt the asshole can hear it any other way.” Lester glanced over the car. It was obnoxious. Just like its owner. Hot red, not quite a sports car, but it was the sport version of a hatchback. Close enough, gold star for effort. “We're not taking your car.”  
“And you're not driving, oh dear, we have a catch 21.” Aki almost sung, his sarcasm was so melodic.  
“Then drive my car. Seriously, I don't know why you spend so much time polishing the damn thing.”  
“It's akin to being house proud, you'll learn it when we get our own place, maybe?”  
“Psht, dream on.” Lester laughed, even as he slapped Aki on the upper arm. “You gonna come with us? Make sure Princess keeps his hands to himself?”  
“Dude,” Raze put his hands up and shook his head. “You know as well as I do it wouldn't stop him. 'Sides, I don't wanna watch my brother get frisky.”

“Aaaw, spoilt-sport.” Aki smirked.  
“Play safe, queers.” Raze stuck his tongue out before he went back to the house.

“Ass.” Lester spat. “When we heading out?”  
“Well my curfew is at..” Aki mumbled, fishing his phone out as it buzzed. His brows dipped as he glanced at the screen. _We must meet._ He knew who it was, he never had a number for him, always using random phones he'd then get rid of afterwards, but he'd always have Aki's number. It drove him nuts. “Ah shit.”  
“What?”  
“I'm gonna have to cancel. Gotta meet my mysterious sensei.”  
“I told you he's fucking creepy, you don't have to-” Aki's finger rested on Lester's lips to silence him. It was quickly replaced with a short sharp kiss.  
“And I told you it's fine.”  
“You still not told your dad?”  
“Daddy-dearest, and the rest of the family just think it's my boss calling. Which it sort of is, so I gotta go.”  
“Yeah, a boss that meets you in the woods and sends you off to do late nights, on a school night.”  
“So it's fine if we're watching a movie together on a school night and I happen to deal with some needs of yours?” Aki purred, he was doing that thing where he half draped himself on Lester, nuzzling and rubbing his stink all over him. “That sounds a bit selfish. Besides, he pays me, so it's work. If you paid me I'd just be your personal whore.”  
“Psht. Fine. Not like I needed to get out the house tonight or anything.” Lester grumbled, half-heartedly trying to remove him.  
“Go play with Matty, you adore him.” Aki's tone grew flat. He removed himself.  
“'Matty' is going to law school and hasn't got time for a no good kid like me.” Jealousy towards Matt Murdock, it was the one thing that Lester knew he had Aki by. Just push about how smart he was or talk about their friendly rivalry.  
“So Matty's allowed a creepy old sensei but I'm not? Rude.” He wouldn't even look at him now.  
“Matt's 'sensei' isn't creepy. He's just an asshole.”  
“Like you right now. I'll call when I'm on my way home.” Aki gave him a sharp headbutt that could have been interpreted as affectionate before he pocketed his phone. He approached the front door and called how he had to do some over-time and got into his car, leaving Lester stood aimlessly in the drive.

It'd always been that way for nearly three years. Romulus wasn't that creepy of a sensei, but he was teaching him things that Logan couldn't. He knew that, but there were secrets in their family that he was revealing to him bit by bit. Do the odd favour here and there and he'd learn something. He could back out whenever he wanted, it was a mutual agreement. Scratch Romulus' back and he'd get one back. Lester was the only one who knew, the guy was fantastic at keeping secrets, after all, he'd confided in him for years, he had to keep him sweet. The only draw back was how often Lester would point out that he was being changed, each time he came back he looked like he'd aged, or he held himself differently than when he left. He was strict, there was no doubting that, but the trade off was worth it. Insights into Itsu's bloodline that he couldn't get from Logan or Jasmine Falls. Perhaps he should have asked how, but he'd known him for too many years it seemed to actually ask that question. It wasn't like he was even lying, he'd told him to research it for himself each time. Part of the 'trust no one' thing he kept trying to teach him. If he was really all that uncomfortable he'd leave. He'd always tell himself that before he went there at least, sometimes telling himself something entirely different on the way back.

 

“I need several things from you tonight, Daken.” His voice boomed, even when he was speaking quietly. There was a thin veil over the hint of savagery hidden within him, a tight wound lead that kept the feral within him restrained. Perhaps it was because of the danger that he kept coming back?  
“You know I've got curfew tonight right?” Aki looked up from the papers he'd been glancing at on the desk. Nothing was ever just around for the sake of it. If that paper was there, then Romulus wanted him to look at it. It was constant mind games, some were fun and others were difficult and trying.   
“If you run over on your time then that's up to you.” Romulus replied bluntly. “They are your constraints, not mine. The sooner you move out, the more freedom you'll have.”  
“I told you, I pay rent into the school dad runs, it's a good cause, did me good-”  
“You must take care of yourself first before you can take care of others.” Aki's shoulders arched somewhat. “The first task will be easy, the second will depend entirely upon which you value more.”  
“Alright, what is it?” He glanced back down to his phone, creating a message for Logan to tell him he'd be back later than usual.  
“I need a sample of your claws.” Romulus gestured to Aki's forearm, his finger brushing over the skin. “It will grow back, I don't doubt. The second however, I need you to track a man for me.”  
“Sounds easy enough, why is this-”  
“You will force him into an isolated area and he will be taken care of.” Romulus gazed at Aki as his eyes widened.  
“Taken care of.. wait you mean you're getting me to chase him into a corner where you kill him?”  
“If you're uncomfortable with it then I'll have to find someone else to do it.” Acid reflux was kicking in, whenever he used that tone, it was so cold and dismissive. Like he didn't matter. “But I thought I was teaching you to be Daken, not powerless little Akihiro.”  
“There's a line-”  
“You don't have any qualms about plotting Lester's father's demise.” Romulus' arms folded, his head cocked, but he was looking down his nose at him. “Is this because he's a 'bad man'? You're still naïve little Aki I see.” The feral gave a long sigh and shook his head. “No, it's fine. I see that you're not the young man I thought you were. I can't rely on you like I used to.”  
“Master I-”  
“Leave me your claw, that is all.” He wouldn't even look at him. Akihiro's stomach knotted, he wouldn't be the one to kill him.. He could do it, it was just playing sheepdog- “I still had so much to tell you. I can't tell you this if I can't trust you with it. You don't even know what you're capable of yet. Such a waste.”  
“Master I can do this.”  
“Really? Not a moment ago you were telling me that you couldn't. How am I to believe this?”  
“Please, let me prove it.” He hated himself how he begged him. How he could reduce him to this. How he clutched at his hands, nuzzling into his palms. “I won't disappoint you.”  
“Here I am trying to keep you sweet, and yet I keep asking these things of you.” Romulus smirked, cupping the teen's cheek. “I can't be so selfish.”  
“I can stay sweet. I have after all this time haven't I?”   
“This man is nothing. He is a parasite on the face of this world. Worthless. My followers will dispose of him. You needn't do anything else.”  
“And what if I did? Just for you?” He purred, feeling Romulus' large hands hold him still.  
“Tempt him. That is all you need to do. You aren't ready to take a life.” His words were discouraging, and yet his tone was that of encouragement. Two parallel meanings as always, the real test was working out which he really wanted. The consequences would be either catastrophic or beneficial. He could feel his cheeks reddening, starting to understand exactly _how_ he wanted this man sheepdogged. Oh he knew the best spot.   
“We shall see.” Daken purred.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Your love is made of dirty gold  
> But I'm the one who sold my soul  
> So go ahead and take my hand  
> Whoaaa
> 
> I keep on dancing with the Devil  
> I keep on dancing with the Devil  
> I sold my soul, it's a dead-end road  
> But there ain't no turning back  
> I keep on dancing with the Devil'  
> Ke$ha - Dancing With The Devil


End file.
